Developed by Fairchild, the C-82 was designed as a heavy-lift cargo aircraft to succeed pre-war designs like the Curtiss C-46 Commando and Douglas C-47 Dakota. The aircraft was designed for a number of roles, including cargo carrier, troop transport, ambulance airplane and glider tow. The single prototype first flew on 10 September 1944. The aircraft were built at the Fairchild factory in Hagerstown, Maryland, with deliveries beginning in late 1945 and ending in September 1948.
First flown in 1947, the XC-82B would go into production as the C-119B Flying Boxcar. In the end only 223 C-82A would be built, a very small number for a production cargo aircraft of that era. Most were used for cargo and troop transport, although a few were used for paratroop operations or towing military gliders. During its brief operational life several C-82 Packets were utilized during the Berlin Airlift, primarily bringing large disassembled vehicles into the city.
In 1946 the US Postal Service explored the concept of flying post offices using highly modified C-82s which would operate similar to those on trains where mail would be sorted by clerks and put in bags and then transferred to trucks on landing.
In 1948 a C-82 was fitted with what was called track-gear which operated much like rear tractor like suspension on half-tracks that allowed landings on primitive dirt runways that had no asphalt or concrete surfacing.
Though itself unsuccessful, the C-82A is best considered as an early development stage of the C-119B Flying Boxcar. The C-82A saw limited production before being replaced by the Flying Boxcar.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_C-82_Packet
Source: http://blog.livedoor.jp/dameya/
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